1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for determining the temperature experienced by the tire during operating conditions. The invention also relates to a tire having a monitoring device that allows an investigator to identify a maximum temperature seen by the inside surface of the tire. This temperature may be one obtained during proper operating conditions or a temperature obtained during less than proper operating conditions. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of using a non-reversible, temperature-indicating label on a tire to allow an investigator to determine the maximum temperature experienced by the tire. This information helps the investigator identify a potential cause of a tire failure or helps the investigator identify tires that may fail in the future.
2. Background Information
Pneumatic vehicle tires fail for a wide variety of reasons. Some reasons, such as cuts or punctures, are fairly easy to detect while other reasons are not so easy to detect. Investigators who attempt to identify the reason for tire failure desire an indicator that reveals additional information related to the service conditions that may have caused or may have contributed to the failure. Tire investigators also desire indicators that may help identify a tire that will fail in the future.
Those skilled in the tire art recognize that a tire exposed to excessive heat has a higher risk of failure because the excessive heat can harm rubber components and adhesion between components within the tire. Excessive heat can be generated in a tire, for example, when the tire deflects excessively, when the tire is improperly inflated, and/or if the tire is improperly loaded. Tire investigators desire an indicator associated with the tire that would reveal excessive temperatures experienced by the tire.
The invention provides a method for identifying a potential cause of a tire failure by providing an investigator a mechanism for reviewing the temperature experienced by the tire during its use. The method includes the step of utilizing a non-reversible, temperature-indicating label on a portion of the tire and reviewing the highest temperature experienced by the tire. The invention also allows an investigator to review a tire that is in operation to determine if the tire has been exposed to excessive temperatures that could have damaged the tire.